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Itching And Liver Disease

What to Use for Eczema to Help Relieve Itching and Other Symptoms
Having a skin disease change your life tremendously. You become more self-conscious and you are acutely aware of itching, burning and negative sensations. When your body breaks out into red pustules and pimples bumps it can greatly disrupt your life. The physical itching sensation can delay sleep. Psychologically you can feel uncomfortable at your job or in school. Often you can get more short-tempered because you just are not feeling well from the constant sensation of itchiness. It can often appear in creases such as the back of the knees and the elbows. Some people get pustules that secrete fluid. In addition to the body creases it can also occur on the chest, legs arms, and neck. Kids often will get a disorder calledfacial atopicdermatitis and you’ll see that the eczema photoshave bright redness on their cheeks.

Some of the symptoms of eczema involve skin flaking, dryness sometimes soreness. There can be a lot of causes for eczema but some of the most common include allergic responses, dietary deficiencies, reactions to strong cold or hot weather, and genetics. Fortunately there are ways to alleviate the itching and eruptions to make the body more comfortable.

One of the best treatments for eczema is coconut oil. It makes your skin soft and supple and supplies missing ingredients. Often people avoid using oil for fear they will break out, but eczema is a dry skin condition that benefits from oil.

Mashed papaya seeds are used in India and other countries on the skin. It is used for mitigating the dermatitis symptoms.

Oatmeal baths are used for chicken pox but they also are helpful for dermatitis. You can mix oatmeal and water to make a paste that you can apply to your skin. Do not scrub your skin as that would be be an irritant.

Another popular natural treatment is the use of aloe vera. It can be obtained in gel purchased at health food stores or directly from the cut leaves. It is used too relieve itching and inflammation. Some people drink the juice as well for health benefits to their system.

Be sure to immediately apply a good oil or moisturizer after getting out of the shower. Avoid using products with perfumes or fragrances. Don’t wear clothing that has a scratching action on your body when you move.

For moderate to severe cases your doctor can prescribe both a strong moisturizing ointment as well as a cortisone cream to relieve the inflammatory response.

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION:
Liver disease and itching?
For the past week, I’ve had mild itching all over my body. I’ve been worried about my beer drinking of late, so I was worried that it might be a symptom of a liver disease. I don’t have any other symptoms of apparent liver problems, such as jaundice. If the itching were a liver problem, would it be followed by jaundice, or is it possible to have a liver problem and not have yellow skin? Does one always follow the other? And yes, I know I can see a doctor, get a blood test, and I did that a few months ago and I was fine. I don’t know if my liver could shoot to hell that quick. So I’m just asking paranoid questions.
The itching is just sort of randomly all over my body, from my scalp to my legs. It began about a week ago — during a period where I hadn’t even had alcohol for a few days. My eyes also itch, too, which suggests allergies. I did apply lots of acne cream right before this, but it was only on my face. I got some dry skin there, but I wouldn’t think that the acne cream would create an allergic reaction all over my body for several days.
Also — it is true that the cold weather could explain it. I get the itching off and on, and I never get it on my stomach or torso. Just almost everywhere else in random spots. I’m 30 years old, and I began drinking at age 21, mostly beer.

ANSWER:
I would seriously see a doctor. I really don’t mean to scare you but I know someone who started with that same exact symptom and he had a serious problem with his liver, he is fine now (thankfully) and his condition with his liver was pretty rare but still, I would see a doctor! I know that if you have some nerve pain/problems it can cause itching. Also, I think that more than likely if you did have a problem with your liver it may not be from drinking. The guy I know that had the problem with his liver wasn’t a drinker. So get it checked sweetie and good luck!

QUESTION:
Does cirrhosis cause itching BEFORE ‘end stage liver disease’?
My consultant actually started shouting at me that I was foolish and that there was no connection between liver disease inc. cirrhosis and a problem with itching skin (unless I was in ‘End Stage’ and actually dying (I’m not). Has actually now refused to see me as I am ‘difficult’ and says my appointments in future will be with a nurse!!! I have read lots of references to itching with liver disease and experience it myself every day – why can they not believe anything other than what they were told in Medical school however many years ago. I think I am actually being barred because I display insufficient gratitude when dealing with her, i.e. I don’t necessarily believe everything she says automatically – experience has taught me they don’t know everything, or anything like it.

ANSWER:
Very unprofessional. I would not feel comfortable seeing this doctor or his staff again. Please seek another specialist.
I’m not sure if this can cause itching in stages less than ESLD. Cirrhosis is stage 4 of liver disease, and while you may not be in the decompensation stage, you still have significant scarring. So I would imagine that due to that fibrosis or scarring, your liver is probably not functioning efficiently like it should. It may not be processing the bile correctly, and that build up can cause itching. Doctors often tell us one thing based on research, but in reality, patients often feel otherwise. Another case in point is that people say they feel pain in the area of the liver, but doctors will tell you that there are no nerve endings to feel pain in the liver. However, the sac that surrounds the liver can stretch with inflammation and can cause pain.
That being said, you’re right. They don’t know everything. I hope you find a doctor that listens to your symptoms and respects you as a patient. Best wishes.

QUESTION:
what kind of liver disease can cause itching and jaundice ? what can be the best treatment for that ?

ANSWER:
Any kind of liver failure can cause jaundice and itching. The best treatment would depend on the reason for having a liver problem in the first place. High biliruben can cause the itching and jaundice, so if you can bring those levels back to normal, the jaundice and itching should go away. If you have something permanent like cirrhosis causing the problem which does not go away, the doctor should be able to prescribe something to help with the discomfort. It won’t take away the jaundice, but it would help the itching.

QUESTION:
Did I drink enough alcohol to induce liver disease?
I am wondering if my college drinking binges were extreme enough to induce liver disease? I drank too much (like 20 gin and tonics drinks in a night) , but I did not drink that often. Maybe about once per week on average. After college, I rarely drank at all (a few times per year), but when I did drink, it was a ridiculous amount. People always found it weird that my tolerance was so high, despite being petite at 5’8 and 115 lbs. I could drink pretty much anyone under the table. Now, I’m 28 and I have the symptoms of liver disease (yellow skin, itching, nausea, loss of appetite).
Mish Mash,
This site is called “answers” for a reason. People want answers to their quetions, not stupid and rude comments.

ANSWER:
It is defiantly possible but not necessarily likely. I would defiantly recommend seeing a doctor as soon as possible and getting a blood-work up. The only way to know for sure is though blood-work. People have had liver disease from drinking in college though.

QUESTION:
Liver Disease Question: Does anyone have Sclerosing Cholongitis and how do you deal with the itching?
please no wedsites, just real answers from real people

ANSWER:
Ask your doctor about Cholestyramine.

QUESTION:
Is it liver disease? And how long until recovery?
Just to add a little background here, I used to be a very heavy drinker in my teens. I quit completely, but had another episode of heavy drinking in my mid-twenties for a couple years. Since then, it is only every few months or so that I will drink (I’m in my early thirties). However, when I do, it isn’t typically light drinking. A couple weeks ago, after a bottle of wine at a party, and a serious hangover, I had taken a vicodin for the headache. I began to get dull pains on my right side, and around to the back, as well as on my left side and back. Never both at the same time. I was also extremely tired. Most of the pain subsided after the first week. I still feel tired, but not quite as bad as initially. I do have itching over my liver area though. It comes and goes. I have also lost weight, 5 lbs since then, but have changed my diet at the same time, so I’m not sure if it’s related. I am a very healthy person otherwise. I eat extremely healthy, and exercise regularly. I feel like I am definitely getting better, but am not sure how long this is supposed to take. I have a doctor’s appointment in a couple weeks.
I also wanted to add that the pain and itching is high up on my abdomen and back (mostly on the right side), behind the rib cage.

ANSWER:
Since you have drank in the past and have now…
I would ask the doctor about doing simple blood tests
on you to check your liver, kidney, and spleen.
This would be the liver enzymes, liver function tests,
liver viral tests, creatinine, bun, and your Complete
Blood cell count with differential.
These blood tests would give the doctor an idea
if something is wrong with them.

Damage to the liver cells would cause the
inflammation to develop in the liver because
the immune system responds to this. This
would cause the liver to enlarge in size. It
should show up on the blood tests results
if there is damage to the liver cells and also
an ultrasound would show if it was enlarged.

An ultrasound could also check the biliary area
below the liver to be sure you don’t have gallstones
or blockage of the bile ducts.

An ultrasound of the kidney and bladder area
would show if you have kidney stones.

If the liver cells are damaged alot…this can
cause scar tissue formation inside the liver
that blocks the flow of blood through the liver.
This is known as Cirrhosis. The blood can
back up into the portal vein and cause pressure
there that will cause the blood to back up into
the spleen and the spleen would enlarge, also.

This is just a brief explanation of what may happen.
It is good that you are seeing the doctor about this.
If this does turn out to be a liver/biliary problem…the best
doctor is a gastroenterologist or hepatologist.
If this is a kidney problem…the doctors would be
a urologist or nephrologist.

The liver is located in the upper right hand quadrant of
the abdomen, just under the rib cage. The gallbladder
is located just below the right lobe of the liver.
Pain would be to the front and side normally.
Pain in the back near the spine and over to the
side is more an indication of kidney problems that
could mean a stone or infection in that area.

Best wishes to you …hope this information is of some
help.

QUESTION:
I have gallstones that I am about to have removed. How likely is it that they are affecting my liver?
I have uncontrollable itching all over my body. I noticed it is a symptom of liver disease. I also have very dark urine and light colored stools which are also symptoms. Since I know I have gallstones I ‘m wondering if my liver could also now be affected.

ANSWER:
The constant itching is a telltale sign of bile salts building up in your body. It’s pretty common in gallbladder disease if your stones are plugging the ducts that run from the liver through the gallbladder and into the intestines. Your urine is most likely dark because your body is being forced to elimate the bile it produces through your urine instead of through your intestine (stools), this is also why the stool is unusually light. When you get your gallbladder removed,along with any stones that are blocking your bile ducts, your liver will bounce back and your symptoms will most likely disappear in short order. I hope that when you say you are about to have it removed you mean very shortly, because this blockage can make you quite ill if left untreated. If your doctor is unaware of these new symptoms you should definately call him/her ASAP. They may want to get blood and test your liver enzymes,test for infection,test your pancreas enzymes(Gallstones can also cause blockages in the pancreas which can make you really sick also), and/or move the surgery up. FYI: Signs of increasing problems/emergency are high fever, yellowing of the skin or whites of your eyes,and nausea/vomiting.

QUESTION:
If its not liver disease what is it!?
So about a month ago I was exposed to naphtha chemical many times. It states in the msds that is can cause liver and kidney damage. Ive been showing signs of liver damage. I had intense itching, prominent veins, cloudy urine, dark urine, upper abdominal pain, black blood in stool. also light color stool, caughing up blood, gum randomly bleed, back of my throat got all veiny, roof of my mouth is yellow, drowsiness, nausea, tight back, my skin darkened but went away, I had depression which is not normal for me, I went to the doctor and he had me get blood test. I got the results back today and everything came up normal!? What. there is something wrong with me, I know that. I have been cleansing my body constantly everyday, everything I eat is cleansing. Ive been taking milk thistle and other anti oxidants. Ive been doing a coffee enema. Ive been doing castor oil with a heating pad. Is it possible that ive been doing such a good job keeping my body clean that my liver would appear ok? Im also a vegetarian if that means anything. and if not what else could be wrong with me

ANSWER:
Back off a little on the caster oil and the coffee enemas, this combination could be fatal.

QUESTION:
I have a liver disease, now my skin is starting to itch How progress is the diease at this point?
My liver counts are around 700, Doctors first thought it was a old stone stuck in a stint. But now says it is a liver diease. I have never drank or anyhing like that. I have no idea at this point how far along the liver diease is. Would you have any idea how progress it is, by knowing that my head and body is starting to itch all over. What are the chances of recover from a liver diease?

ANSWER:
There is a condition known as “Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease”, (NAFLD) that describes a range of conditions involving the liver that affect people who drink little or no alcohol. Because early-stage nonalcoholic fatty liver disease rarely causes any symptoms, it’s often detected because of abnormal results of liver tests done for unrelated issues. Treatments for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease include weight loss, exercise, improved diabetes control and the use of cholesterol-lowering medications.At a more advanced stage, such as cirrhosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease may cause: Itching on your hands and feet and eventually on your entire body. Check the included link for more information. I hope this was of some help to you.

QUESTION:
Is it possible I have liver disease?
I am 50.
I was a heavy drinker heavy drinker until recently, and have managed to reduce my consumption and binge episodes to once a month or less.
I am now concerned that I am showing symptoms of liver disease, be it cirrosis, fatty liver, or gallstones.
The cheif symptoms are:
1. Constant abdominal distension and feeling bloated although I am a light eater.
2. Feelings of nausea, especially on rising.
3.Constant dull pain under right rib cage.
4.Pale, thin stools, and sometimes explosive dihrea.
5.Visible veins on my abdomen
6.Constant itching especially on my neck and feet.
Today I had a nausea attack and severe bloating in the afternoon (all I had to eat was yogurt in the morning)felt so bad I almost left work.
I have seen my doctor about this twice, and the liver blood blood urine tests always come back normal.
He says to lose weight and exercise more. I cant lose weight despite eating very little and I run three times a week.
I must confess that the weeks leading up to and over XMAS I did over consume alcohol and fatty foods, but not more than I usually do at Xmas.
Do you think I have a liver problem?
One friend said to stop alcohol for two months and it would completely heal itself.
I did that last summer-didnt seem to help.
If you think I need different tests please indicate so I can ask my doctor for them. I am so concerned about the bloating I want an xray!
Thanks happy new year!

ANSWER:
All liver patients are told No Alcohol. The symptoms of coming off of alcohol can be mistaken for a liver problem and, in some cases, can be life threatening…should be under a doctors care. He has medications that can lessen these symptoms.

No one blood test is 100% accurate. Many things can effect the results of these tests and a comparison is done of more than one to be sure. However, in some patients, there is not an abnormal result even it they have liver disease.

You should be with a gastroenterologist or hepatologist now.
You definitely need further testing done to determine what exactly is happening with you.

High Alcohol consumption over time can cause Fatty liver disease. Ultrasound or Ct scan may see this…a liver biopsy would definitely show it.
Colonoscopy would check the colon…Pill swallow endoscopy would check the small intestines. ERCP(Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) would check the esophagus, stomach, first part of the intestines and the biliary area and Pancreatic ducts.

Wish I could be of more help. I hope you find out what is the problem.

Here are some links you can click on that will give you information on different tests and different things that may be the cause of your problem.

http://www.gihealth.com/html/education/pamphlets.html

http://www.gitract.info/

QUESTION:
liver disease PLEASE HELP?
PLEASE HELP
my friend has yellow eyes and she itches bad at nights and she is all ways so tired.
she went to the doctors and they don’t no whats wrong with her. i thought if your eyes were yellow you had liver problems. she broke her foot a mouth ago and she only started itching after she
stoped taking the pain reliever for her foot.
PLEASE HELP

ANSWER:
Has she had a blood test? This will rule out a liver problem. If she appears jaundiced (yellow discolouration in the whites of the eyes) the I suspect that her bilirubin will be high. The symptoms you describe can be liver-related but without direct/indirect bilirubin levels and ALT/AST liver enzyme numbers it’s hard to say the cause.

QUESTION:
do i have a liver disease?
i seriously can’t explain what’s wrong with my body. for the last five months i’ve been having severe headaches, tummy aches, vision loss, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, allergy reactions (itch), and chest pain. i obviously talk to my Dr. 3 months ago and he’s been doing a lost of testing, starting from HIV to a simple flu, but everything has come out negative. he now thinks i might have some type of liver disease, and i’m scared that it can be something fatal. i’m only 17 years old, and i can’t handle this. sometimes i also experience depression, but i think it’s because i have isolated from everybody else. i can’t have a normal life living like this. is it really a liver disease? i’m going to my Dr. in 2 weeks from now, but i’m anxious to know.

anything will help, thank you.

ANSWER:
Being anxious over something that does not exist yet is not going to get you anywhere. Calm down and take a deep breath. There is no reason to get yourself all worked up until you know there is something to be concerned about. Your doctor will let you know when you should get concerned. Until then relax, there is nothing you can do right now anyway.

QUESTION:
Help! itching problem!?
Ok so I itch all over. Sometimes it causes me to sleep at night. Its uncontrollable. Worst at night. The doc said it was the weather. Its not the weather. I take fish oil. I put calming cream on after shower. I have ani itch cream and spray. I bought a humidifier. I don’t do drugs and am not on any prescriptions. I researched it a lot. Itching could be anywhere from liver disease to an std. But none match my signs. Sometimes I itch so bad I will bleed or have bad scratch marks. I try to not itch. Its uncontrollable. Help

ANSWER:
hmm
maybe eczema? but i guess everyone says that huh?

maybe it is an allergy to something you eat.
try cutting some of the foods in your diet which are common to cause allergic reactions. (egg/nuts etc)

QUESTION:
Liver cirrhosis and liver cancer?
My husband has just been informed that he has “slight scarring” on the liver and that his liver is enlarged. I have many questions regarding this, but PLEASE, I am looking for serious-minded answers, not for people telling me that he should stop drinking or other kinds of moralizing; it is hard enough as it is. First: the doctor said “there is slight scarring but no sign of cirrhosis”. I don’t quite understand this because I though scarring of the liver IS cirrhosis, although it might be at a very early stage in his case. Also, is an enlarged liver the same thing as fatty liver, or could there be other reasons for it being enlarged? Unfortunately, his main health issue is not the liver but advanced heart failure (severe dilated cardiomyopathy) and also COPD. He was told some years ago that he has Hepatitis C but then it was in a dormant state. Could his Hepatitis C have caused the scarring over time even if it has been in a dormant state? Also, when the scarring has started, is it bound continue? His doctor says that his liver is “working”, although I’m not sure whether she meant that it is working without any problems or working at a diminished capacity. I have done a lot of reading and it seems to me that he has many of the symptoms associated with acute liver failure: itching and small red lesions scattered over his body, a brief (one day) period of yellow skin and vomiting, periods of flu-like symptoms with fever, loss of appetite, severe sleep disturbances, clay-colored stool, brown urine, and his nails have turned very light. Also, he quit smoking, not because of his own determination but because he lost taste for cigarettes, which apparently is a sign of liver failure. He also bruise and bleed very easily, and he is easily fatigued. Many of these symptoms are of course also associated with heart disease, but it seems that they have become worse in the last couple of months. His bleeding and bruising can of course be caused by the heavy doses of coumadin he is on, but it seems that the bruising has gotten worse too. He is also getting easy confused and is becoming more and more forgetful. He is 60 years old. So, this is what I wonder: Can the heart disease and/or the COPD have caused the liver disease, or affect it negatively? And vice versa, what effect does the liver issue have on the heart disease and the COPD? His doctor wrote in the last report that there is no sign of ascites but he keeps saying that he feels very bloated and to me it seems like fluid, not fat. He often complain of discomfort in his lower right side and get winded very easily (also a sign of the heart disease, of course). How serious is this liver problem? If in fact he does have acute liver failure due to Hepatitis C, what is the outlook? I don’t believe liver transplant is an option in his case due to his advanced heart failure and generally poor condition. If it is left untreated and he continues to drink (he has at least 3 beers and usually a couple of shots of hard liquor per day. I am desperately trying to make him stop or seek help, but I am not able to), what is likely to happen? If scar tissue continues to build up in his liver, how dangerous is it and what kind of life expectancy does he have? Is it a matter of decades or years/months before his liver gives in completely? How do people with this kind of disease typically die, slowly by wasting away or suddenly? If it is not acute liver failure, what else could it be? Does the complications of Hepatitis C always come from cirrhosis/scarring caused by it, or can it cause symptoms independently without leading to cirrhosis? And is scarring always a sign of cirrhosis or can there be other reasons for it? If so, how likely is it that the scarring does lead to cirrhosis (unless it is the same disease just at different stages) How great is the risk of developing liver cancer? Is this risk increased because of his generally poor health or is it determined by other factors? Please, please, any information at all would be of great help. I know that all these questions should be directed to his doctor, but my husband refuses to let me meet her, and he himself seems to live in denial and doesn’t want to know anything about his disease. This is my reality, and any information you could provide would be gratefully accepted. Thankyou for reading all the way through this long question.

ANSWER:
Unfortunately, I don’t know the answers to all of your questions, but here are a few. If his hepatitis is in a dormant state, that is a very good thing. The light scaring might not be cirrhosis yet, but its getting there. It’s enlarged because it needs to be because it is not functioning properly. Its not from the hep C from what it sounds like, its from all the drinking. It has nothing to do with anything else. Maybe you should look into helping him with his depression. Yes it will continue and it will only get worse unless he stops drinking. He will slowly get worse overtime and it will lead to cirrhosis and will eventually become cancerous. It all has to do with his drinking (almost all of it) and his overall health. Also, the hep c will most likely become active if his health continues to deteriorate.

Also, sorry to say this, but they don’t give liver transplants to people who abuse their body.

QUESTION:
Scarring of the liver and cirrhosis?
My husband has just been informed that he has “slight scarring” on the liver and that his liver is enlarged. I have many questions regarding this, but PLEASE, I am looking for serious-minded answers, not for people telling me that he should stop drinking or other kinds of moralizing; it is hard enough as it is. First: the doctor said “there is slight scarring but no sign of cirrhosis”. I don’t quite understand this because I though scarring of the liver IS cirrhosis, although it might be at a very early stage in his case. Also, is an enlarged liver the same thing as fatty liver, or could there be other reasons for it being enlarged? Unfortunately, his main health issue is not the liver but advanced heart failure (severe dilated cardiomyopathy) and also COPD. He was told some years ago that he has Hepatitis C but then it was in a dormant state. Could his Hepatitis C have caused the scarring over time even if it has been in a dormant state? Also, when the scarring has started, is it bound continue? His doctor says that his liver is “working”, although I’m not sure whether she meant that it is working without any problems or working at a diminished capacity. I have done a lot of reading and it seems to me that he has many of the symptoms associated with acute liver failure: itching and small red lesions scattered over his body, a brief (one day) period of yellow skin and vomiting, periods of flu-like symptoms with fever, loss of appetite, severe sleep disturbances, clay-colored stool, brown urine, and his nails have turned very light. Also, he quit smoking, not because of his own determination but because he lost taste for cigarettes, which apparently is a sign of liver failure. He also bruise and bleed very easily, and he is easily fatigued. Many of these symptoms are of course also associated with heart disease, but it seems that they have become worse in the last couple of months. His bleeding and bruising can of course be caused by the heavy doses of coumadin he is on, but it seems that the bruising has gotten worse too. He is also getting easy confused and is becoming more and more forgetful. He is 60 years old. So, this is what I wonder: Can the heart disease and/or the COPD have caused the liver disease, or affect it negatively? And vice versa, what effect does the liver issue have on the heart disease and the COPD? His doctor wrote in the last report that there is no sign of ascites but he keeps saying that he feels very bloated and to me it seems like fluid, not fat. He often complain of discomfort in his lower right side and get winded very easily (also a sign of the heart disease, of course). How serious is this liver problem? If in fact he does have acute liver failure due to Hepatitis C, what is the outlook? I don’t believe liver transplant is an option in his case due to his advanced heart failure and generally poor condition. If it is left untreated and he continues to drink (he has at least 3 beers and usually a couple of shots of hard liquor per day. I am desperately trying to make him stop or seek help, but I am not able to), what is likely to happen? If scar tissue continues to build up in his liver, how dangerous is it and what kind of life expectancy does he have? Is it a matter of decades or years/months before his liver gives in completely? How do people with this kind of disease typically die, slowly by wasting away or suddenly? If it is not acute liver failure, what else could it be? Does the complications of Hepatitis C always come from cirrhosis/scarring caused by it, or can it cause symptoms independently without leading to cirrhosis? And is scarring always a sign of cirrhosis or can there be other reasons for it? If so, how likely is it that the scarring does lead to cirrhosis (unless it is the same disease just at different stages) How great is the risk of developing liver cancer? Is this risk increased because of his generally poor health or is it determined by other factors? Please, please, any information at all would be of great help. I know that all these questions should be directed to his doctor, but my husband refuses to let me meet her, and he himself seems to live in denial and doesn’t want to know anything about his disease. This is my reality, and any information you could provide would be gratefully accepted. Thankyou for reading all the way through this long question.

ANSWER:
Lena, an alcoholic is THE most difficult of all patients to help, especially when you want to do so much. ALL that you describe is due to alcohol. At first alcohol causes liver cells to fill with fat and produce an enlarged fatty liver which alone has caused sudden death. In time, as liver cells die, scarring results and can then progress (under the microscope) to produce a smaller scarred liver called alcoholic cirrhosis. The liver then produces inadequate clotting factors which can produce skin and other hemorrhages, as well as leak fluid into the belly (ascites), and change blood circulation to overload and damage an eenlarging heart under strain as well as dilated, thin-walled esophageal veins (varices) which can anytime suddenly rupture as great quantities of blood are coughed up. Hepatitis c also damages the liver and is believed to be a cause of liver cancer. As long as your husband continues to drink alcohol, he will continue to go downhill and die in spite of your efforts. Try the phone book or call Al-Anon, an organization for spouses of alcoholics for much more information on how to deal with your extremely difficult situation. You cannot go it alone and expect and success.

QUESTION:
Entire Body Itching…?
Typically at night, both of my legs, buttocks, back, arms, and shoulders itch like crazy. I scratch them, and then they swell up, and look like welts, or a big patch of swolleness… My stomach and chest never itch. This all started about 2 months ago. I constantly wash my sheets, clothes, etc. I am only 21 years old, and others have suggessted liver disease and that scares me to death. Could it just be allergies? Hives? I find this strange, but I was in the bahamas this past week, and I did not get any itching anywhere… However, the minute I got off the plane back in New York, I started itching again. Antihistamines help me, but I think that there should be a better method to cure this. Please help b/c this itching is really driving me crazy, I lose sleep over it, I just want it to go away.

ANSWER:
Drink plenty of water.

QUESTION:
Do I have a liver problem?
I quit drinking alcohol on Feb 25th. Although I was expecting to go through some kind of withdrawls, I am doing pretty well and haven’t had that ‘Oh I have to have a drink’. Pretty good considering I drank everyday, probably a minimum of 5 beers for several years. My concern is that I am extremely exhausted. I am not a napper, but I come home for lunch and sleep anywhere from 20 min to 2 hours. I didn’t use to do that when I was drinking. I also, started to itch on the bottom part of both my legs in the same areas. The itching was new to me and it started before I quit drinking. What I have just mentioned above are things that I am finding as symptoms of liver disease. Am I just going through a healing process, since I quit drinking, or does it sound like I already have some sort of liver disease? Yes, I know I just need to go to the doctor to get tested, but I was wondering if anyone else has gone through the same experience, when they quit drinking.
Thanks

ANSWER:
I was a heavy daily drinker for 15 years. When I quit 5 years ago, I already had liver disease with cirrhosis, which had caused psoriasis (dry itchy skin patches) on my shins and elbows. After a few months, it started clearing up. I don’t have the itchy skin any more.

The exhausted in the afternon thing is because our bodies make sugar from the alcohol, and now your body doesn’t get the sugar boost it is used to. I found orange juice, chocolate, or ice cream in the afternoon helped substitute for the lost sugar boost. It still took awhile before I didn’t want a nap in the afternoon.

Congrats on your sobriety, hang in there!

QUESTION:
Need doctors help about liver?
My wife started having stomach pain and really bad itching a couple weeks ago. She went to the doctor and her Alkaline Phosphatase levels were around 200, and her bilirubin was around 3. She was admitted on Monday, 3/23 and the liver tests kept going up until they released her Friday, 3/27 with a Alkaline Phosphatase level of 500 and bilirubin level of 5.9. She went in to get labs done yesterday and bilirubin went down, but Alkaline Phosphatase went up to 1,500. The GI doctor said it could possibly be primary biliary cirrhosis, but they weren’t sure because she was very jondus and it was progressing too rapidly. They ran tests but won’t have them back until possibly end of week or early next week. Her hepatitis tests were all negative. She sees a liver specialist on Thursday morning, but we are scared to death that she’s got terminal liver disease but the doctors won’t tell us anything, and I’m wondering why they let her go home if her liver count keeps going up. I want to know how close she is to liver failure and what could possibly be wrong. She is not a big drinker, maybe a couple once or twice a month, but not enough to where it would affect her liver like this. I really need a medical doctors advice.

ANSWER:
I am not a doctor (there aren’t any doctors on here), but I am a nurse in a liver transplant center.

They sent her home because there was nothing else to be done that could not be done as an outpatient.

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis is a disease, which is not caused by viral hepatitis or alcohol abuse, that can lead to liver failure. You unfortunately are going to have to wait to see what the liver specialist says. Your wife may have a treatable condition. If your wife does have progressing liver failure that does not respond to treatment, she may have to be worked up for a liver transplant.

QUESTION:
Is severe itching during the fifth week of pregnancy normal?
I just did a pregnancy test and it came out positive. I am at a guess that I am around four to five weeks pregnant. For the past three days only at night i have encountered severe itching on my left (and has now progressed to my right) feet. It started at my heel and now all between my toes is itching is well. Its driving me insane. I can barely sleep at night. There is no rash or sores or anything. My feet looks completely normal. I have tried the itching powder, athlete’s foot cream, lotion and none of it works. Is this normal? i have heard of the cholestasis (maybe spelling it wrong) liver disease during pregnancy but that normally occurs way later in the pregnancy. Could I have this?

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
KIDNEY DISEASE???? HELP!!!!?
Here are the symptoms I have been having…

frequency of urination
skin rashes and Itching
Fatigue
Shortness of Breath
Feeling Cold
Dizziness and Trouble Concentrating
Dull achy feeling in back
Bladder infection
Increased thirst (I just drunk half a gallon of milk and I still feel thirsty!)
Gums bleed when brushing them
Ocasional blurred vision
I also also want to eat 24/7!!!!

I just went to the doctors because I thought I had an UTI and I had to do a pee test they said I had a lot of nasty bacteria and BLOOD in my urine! BUT it wasn’t a bladder infection so they gave me some antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria and the horrible symptoms I was having. Then they sent me down to do a blood test to check for diabetes, liver disease and kidney disease! I will get the results in a week or so. I can’t wait that long! Plus I wan’t to get ready for the truth!

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
Could this be a kidney disease?
First I am going to tell you a little about me. I am a 13 year old girl and I just went to the doctors because I thought I had a bladder infection. So I had to do a pee test. They said I had a lot of nasty bacteria and BLOOD in my urine! BUT it wasn’t a bladder infection so they gave me some antibiotics to get rid of the bacteria and the horrible symptoms I was having. Then they sent me down to do a blood test to check for diabetes, liver disease and kidney disease! I will get the results in a week or so. I can’t wait that long! Plus I wan’t to get ready for the truth!

Here are the symptoms I have been having…

frequency of urination
skin rashes and Itching
Fatigue
Shortness of Breath
Feeling Cold
Dizziness and Trouble Concentrating
Dull achy feeling in back
Bladder infection
Increased thirst (I just drunk half a gallon of milk and I still feel thirsty!)
Gums bleed when brushing them
Ocasional blurred vision
I also also want to eat 24/7!!!!

I can’t wait 2 weeks for my test results to comeback in! Does this sound like it could be a kidney infection???

ANSWER:
A number of your symptoms can be attributed to the obesity: fatty liver, fatigue,sleep apnea, high BP, leg aches, breathing problems. How is your blood sugar and cholesterol? If you also have irregular periods, it’s possible you have Metabolic Syndrome aka insulin resistance syndrome.

QUESTION:
Is it healthy to itch evey day with out rash?
Could itching every day be a sign for liver and kidney disease? Im using no scent senstve soao.how long is too long to go back

ANSWER:
well, it could. i itch when my bilirubin counts get high. but, what i have is called Gilbert’s syndrome. It doesn’t cause any problems other than really bad itching. I always keep hydrocortisone around.

But, keep in mind that you can develop allergies out of the blue.

QUESTION:
Can allergens cause severe itching of palms and feet after bathing?
For the past two nights, I have played with a new puppy we have, then came straight in and took a hot bath. During the hot bath, severe itching of my palms occurred, and then started on the soles of my feet. THe itching was so severe, that I took a hairbrush to my palms, and it still didnt ease. I looked these symptoms up, and a terrible disease of the liver came up called PBC, it states that extrteme itching of the palms and feet are common symptoms of this. But I am a very allergic person, and have always had bad allergies to pets. My skin even sometimes used to break out in whelts after contact with pets. So I am wandering if the contact with the animal, and then getting into the hot bath water, couldn’t causes my reaction? I hope so, and that it’s not a disease. I had no bumps on my hands or feet, just red, itchy and it kind of looked like little red blotchy places under the skin of the palms. Somebody please tell me it’s nothing serious. I am a young woman and have a sma

ANSWER:
You may have a pet allergy; so you have to be careful there.

To reduce your symptoms, you may need to consider giving it away. It sounds inhumane but there is little that you can do about allergy. Going on medications just so to relieve your symptoms can hardly be a long time solution as you are risking your health.

QUESTION:
I had my Dog put down yesterday (he was 10) – did I do the right thing?
I had my 10 year old dog put down last night and now I racked with guilt in case I made the wrong decision.

He was diagnosed 6 months ago with Hepatitis, Liver failure and a progressive heart murmur and was put on medication and a special diet. All semed to be going well and he gained a healthy weight and was bouncy and lively. Then in September he started itching and nibbling his skin . The vet said he thought his immunity levels meant he had become sensitive to dust and we decided on putting him on pirirton…however as sptember wore on the itching got worse despite the piriton and then last saturday he scratched his back so much he made himself bleed. I called the vet and they suggested bathing him and increase the dose.

Also, during the last 2/3 weeks he was constanly looking for food and when we were walking his nose was sniffing the ground insesantly…more so than usual…

I took him to the vets on Thursday and the vet looked at him and commented that in the last few weeks since he saw him last he had lost weight and although he still was lively and happy, he felt it was a little too much weight. Then he saw his back and explained that apart from the sore and bleeding areas his skin was badly bruised from the scratching and he was in a lot of discomfort.

IHe then said that we only had one option left to try and it was a long shot and potentially for Zorro could be dangerous with his heart. He said we could try a short course of cortesone pills (5 days) to see if it helped, however with his heart the chances are that he would build up dangerous levels of fluid around his heart and could easily collapse and die.

He also explained that he felt Zorro was in the final stages of the liver disease and that his liver was struggling to process the blood – hence the itching.

I said no, I didn’t want him to suffer any more and I had him put to sleep..

What I can’t get over is that he was so lively and bouncy – despite the itching and weight loss and scavaging..and thats why I feel so guilty…plus when I came out of the consulting room alone…the receptionist said “was he ill then?” which made me feel like I had done something wrong…

Did I make the wrong decision?

ANSWER:
May be if your heart says that it is wrong then it is wrong . if your heart says it was good dission then fine . descide your self .
besause no buddy nows what was the possition may be .
bye.

QUESTION:
Itchy hands and feet in pregnancy?
My hands itch all the time, but get especially bad at night. My feet don’t bother me much during the day, but again when i wake up they do itch a fair bit. I was potentially concerned about the obstetric cholestasis/ liver disease during pregnancy. For about a month now I have had bad pain in my ribcage, directly under my right breast and straight through to the other side, which is where my liver would be. Does the obstetric cholestasis often come with pain of the liver at all? And do you get any rash like break outs with it. Again in the morning, i wake to worse itching and i can barely see some faint and not really raised, red splotches/bumps on my forearms. Not sure if this is reaction to hormones maybe, and can’t see how it would be an allergic reaction as nothing around me has changed at all. Ideas?
have an appt to doc tomorrow

ANSWER:
You might hae PUPPS. It is a rash some women get in pregnancy. Your doctor cal tell you more.
I had it. The only thing I found that helped was Grandpa’s Pine Tar Soap. You buy it online. Google it if you are looking for it. It helped me a lot!
Good luck.

QUESTION:
My skin feels ultra itchy, what is it and what shall I do?
I have been diagnosed with eczema and I have quite dry skin which needs constant moisturising. The thing is recently I’ve felt really itchy under the skin even when I scratch my skin there is no relief…I’ve looked at a couple of websites and suggestiongs have come up as being Kidney failure, Liver disease, I certainly hope not… It’s main the feet where I itch the most

ANSWER:
You could try the Biosal Dead Sea black mud mask, facial compresses or full or partial body (affected area) baths with Biosal Mineral Salt from the Dead Sea (http://www.ecomania.kingeshop.com/Results-for-biosal-bdaacaaaa.asp?v1=biosal) or their Hydrogel (http://www.ecomania.kingeshop.com/Biosal-Hydro-Gel-65ml-bdkabacSa.asp?v1=biosal). Both the mud powder and salt are 100% natural and preservatives free! It helps regulate your skin’s oil content, removes excess oil, nourishes your dermis with minerals contributing to a correct functioning and moisture level of the same, and according to my dermatologist, it is the only astringent mud in the world. Normally, skin affections (e.g. acne, eczema, rashes, dermatitis, psoriasis…) are perfect for using Dead Sea products.

I recall onetime my body developed an extreme itch (following an operation, antibiotics were administered) everywhere making it impossible for me to sleep – I would scratch my legs and stomach until blood began appearing. Since it was late in the evening and no doctor was available (I live on the outskirts of Madrid), I just decided to take a full-body bath with Biosal Mineral Salts – what a relief!!! Amazing how afterwards the itching stopped!

I could only find a video in Spanish on how to prepare the Biosal Dead Sea black mud mask, but it is pretty straight forward: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfRqoJYsOo4. On their webpage you can find more info, especially regarding the unique natural mineral composition: http://www.biosal1.at/INGLES/descargaanalisis-en.htm. The Ecomania store where I bought the products is actually located in Madrid, Spain but they may offer mail services to other parts of Europe, otherwise you might just want to contact Biosal Naturprodukte directly (www.biosal1.at).

If you would like to read scientific articles on the benefits of the Dead Sea then you might find the following links of interest:

QUESTION:
I feel like my midwife is neglecting me on something very serious?
I am 19 weeks and 2 days pregnant and nearly two weeks ago I started to get itchy hands and feet, which has gotten worse ever since. Someone told me that it could possibly a be a liver problem as their friend had it and she had to have her baby about two weeks early.

I found something on the internet about Obstetric Cholestiasis. It’s a liver disease that only happens during pregnancy and the liver plays up and starts releasing too many bile salts into the blood. There is treatment for it but if it goes untreated it can cause stillbirth in a few cases. Other complications include preterm labour and foetal distress.

When I found out this information I rung up the maternity hospital and they booked me in for 2 tests regarding my liver. Both came back normal.

With this condition though it often doesn’t show up in the blood for several weeks after the itching starts. One midwife at the hospital said I would have to have more tests if I was feeling itchy and I have spoken to Jenny Chambers from the OC support group who says I should be getting tested at least every two weeks.

After the first blood test I booked an appointment with my own midwife like I had been instructed to do at the maternity hospital to talk to her about the itching and to see if I could get more tests. She didn’t seem to have a clue about Obstetric Cholestiasis. She told me it’s not possible for me to have it so early and that she won’t give me another blood test until I am 28 weeks pregnant. When I asked her what another reason for the itching was she just said “I don’t know Sarah, pregnancy doesn’t happen in boxes”.
She also told me that even if I did have Obstetric Cholestiasis there would be nothing she could do about it. There is medication! She said that if I am that worried I can see her every 2 weeks instead of every 4 so that she can monitor my baby. At least that’s something but the blood tests are what is most important here.

Cholestiasis can happen before 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is rare, but it shouldn’t completely be excluded. It’s like turning someone away for having a lump in their breast because they don’t fit the general criteria for breast cancer.

I am so upset and so anxious and the itching is getting worse. I am not sure what to do. I am thinking of ringing up the Maternity Hospital on Thursday, 2 weeks from when I was last tested and asking to be tested again.

I texted my midwife yesterday to tell her that I have spoken to Jenny Chambers and what she said but she hasn’t replied and yet I got a delivery report from her phone.

I am going to see my GP on Wednesday and I am not sure how that is going to go.

What would everyone else do in my situation I feel so stuck?
She has replied and reffered me to a consultant. Wish me luck!

ANSWER:
I’d tell her that if there isn’t a risk to you or the baby, you want to be tested for it every two weeks as was recommended. If she fights you on it, tell her that you’re sorry, but you’re going to start looking for another provider.

QUESTION:
Horse with photo-sensitivity?
My horse of 2 years developed photo-sensitivity just over a year ago now.
Between spring and summer, he would burn very easily and itch his face a lot [he has a white blaze] it would result in him losing the skin and bleeding ): The burns would sometimes ooze yellow-ish liquid and we would have to use a special lotion to heal him when he gets to this stage otherwise he looses all of the skin on this nose and up the blaze. It takes a lot of time to heal at this point. About a month and a half when he had it at it’s worst.. ):
He has white legs [markings he's not a grey horse] But these are completely uninfected luckily. We think it’s because he is a cob and had a fair amount of feather protection.
When he first suffered from photo-sensitivity he was treated at a local vets for liver disease at the same time. [we think the two are linked]
He is a happy, healthy boy and besides this is always 100%
Never had leg problems or any other body/health things that could be linked etc.
To avoid him getting his face burnt we bought him a UV protection/fly mask. He wears this every day the sun is out over wise he will burn.
It’s now winter and last winter he had the hood mostly off, we left him out without it on for one day [about a week ago now] [not hot/sunny at all] and now he has his first symptoms of itching and almost yellow burns..
He did very well in the summer this year only having a few cuts and burns on his face with his mask and sun cream on full time but we don’t know why he’s now not doing so well now in the colder weather?
Also I don’t know anyone else with this problem, does your horse suffer from this? If so.. please what do you do to protect him/her from it?
And if your horse does suffer from it have they also had liver disease?
Thanks in advance :3
Thanks for the info ^^
I do turn out at night during the summer and have him in half the day.
I know it’s sunny in the winter but the UV rays normally don’t affect him to the point of burning ):
He does wear his mask sunny days just not overcast ones.
Also we don’t tend to turn out at night at winter as we full clip and have him in rugged..
Oh and the paddock hes in has an open stable so he has all the shade he wants during the day

ANSWER:
I’m posting a veterinary article on equine photosensitivity that answers your question and then some, and that I think is a “must read” for you…………………..

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=5863

Add***************photosensitization is not the same thing as sunburn. The mechanism in skin causing photosensitization is completely different from that of regular sunburn. There is a very good chance that there is an ongoing liver disease or exposure to toxins causing this. The article I posted explains it thoroughly.

QUESTION:
Back in May I was told by the nephrologist that at some time or another I had contracted Hepatitis. He then sa?
Back in May I was told by the nephrologist that at some time or another I had contracted Hepatitis. He then said that I should not worry about it because my body had built up it’s own antibodies against the virus and rejected it. Sounds heaven sent, but then a few weeks later I developed neurology problems, bone degeneration, pale stool, black spots on hands and feet, hair loss, brown spots on skin, bad breath, loss of reflux, belching and gas constantly, bone pain, itching, dark urine although I drink lots of water, panic attacks…and the list goes on. Even though the nephrologist said that I rejected the disease could I still have the symptoms of Hepatitis or Liver disease and still not have the disease? Could I have given it to my husband and we are passing it back and forth? I am trying to figure out why I still have symptoms other than the jaundice but yet the nephrologist said that I rejected the virus. Plz help me because I am now thinking for the worse. I wanted to start taking Paxil for the panic attacks, but I am so afraid because I don’t know if it will worsen my liver.

ANSWER:
You need to see a Gastroenterologist or a General Practitioner instead of a nephrologist. A nephrologist deals with your kidneys not liver.

QUESTION:
are these Bug Bites? PLEASE HELP ME!!!?
OK. So I am from Michigan and went to NC for Spring break this year to visit. i went to the beach for an hour, but the most contact i had with the sand or water was just walking shoe less n the shore. when I left, i came home with an itch. it wasnt that bad in the beginning, but then it got worse. the itching intensified ALLLLLL OVER MY BODY. Mostly the tops of my feet, inner thighs and my stomach. then over the last couple months, it has spread to my back. it is now mid july and ive been back in NC for good since may 31st. THE ITCHING IS WORSE. its on my back, inner thighs, wrists, fingers, elbows, back of knees, the area between my inner thigh and vagina, bottom/back of my hairline on my head, hips, stomach, and chest. My boyfriend has a few but they seem to like me better. Theyre are very small (some are bigger/tinier then others) flesh colored bumps. i was thinking maybe flea bites because my boyfriend had a dog awhile back, but this just seems too intense for it to be that. my next thought was some kind of mite bite. but i did some research and mite bites are red bumps. ive had a couple red bumps, but mostly ALL THESE are FLESH COLORED. i thought chigger bites. and lastly i thought of the skin virus MOLLUSCUM CONTAGIOSUM. some of the bites actually look as if they develope into small blisters. if i itch or squeeze them, a clear fluid may come out. PLEASE HELP!! im covered in them. if they are bug bites, i need to know what to do before taking them to my new house that i am buying. also i should add that ive had blood tested for liver disease and other underlying health problems so this has to be that virus or a bug bite. they keep multiplying. ive seen a couple of small tan looking insects flying around, theyre tiny, i almost wouldnt have been able to see them. but ive only seen a couple and i feel like i have hundreds. needless to say i dont think the fogging worked. Ive bombed every room in the apartment

ANSWER:
I would suggest very seriously you see an epidemiologist fast. These would sound like HPV ( Human pappalona virus) but for the fact that these are to dense and all over. They may be a parasite from the water like a “Duck rash”that invades the inland water lakes in some parts of the U.S. during hot weather from the heat. It may be an algae like the Red Tide rash people get around Florida and lower California.

Tests would have to be made and lab tests so see that doctor and fast.

QUESTION:
My poor Old Dog….Tough decision?
My dog , who is currently 10 years old and is a pedigree has hepatitus, advanced liver disease, progressive heart disease and was being treated reasonably successfully with denamarin and vetmedin chewable tablets. a few months ago, he started itching and nibbling his body and paws and when I took him back to the vets the vet tested him and said he was allergic to dust mites…

since his diagnosis, I have been cleaning and hoovering regularly and wiping everywhere with dettol unfortunately, this hasn’t helped and the vet has presecribed piriton…which doesn’t seem to help very much either….the only relief he has is when he’s asleep or on a walk…

he’s scratched his back so much thta it’s startd to bleed and on saturday I took him to the vets and they said I would have to make an appointment to review his situation…

I love my dog so much that I’m finding it distressing seeing him suffer like this, but he’s still eating and drinking OK and apart from the itching (which is making life a misery) he would be fine.

What should I do? Has anyone else experienced similar problems with their dog?

ANSWER:
My heart goes out to you.

this year i had to have my 18 year old Bordie collie cross put down because his back legs was going and it took me over a year to make that disscuion. You hasve to think what is best for your dog. I would say if he is eating and drinking okay then just leave him to his own diveces.

just keep bathing the wounds.

i have another dog and he gets fleas all the time and last year he bit his back end to a poin tht he lost all of his fur and it was scabbing up. the best thing is just try and keep him comftable and happy

hopes this helps alot

bye xxxx

QUESTION:
Pregnant with itchy hands and feet?
Hi. I have asked this question a few times but I haven’t got many answers.
I am 19 weeks pregnant and I have itchy hands and feet which comes and goes. I had a blood test for a liver problem that only happens in pregnancy and the main symptom is itchy hands and feet. The blood test came back normal.
I contacted a lady from a support group and she told me that I might need more blood tests because sometimes the itching can start weeks before the results show up as abnormal. My midwife is refusing to do this and I am feeling really low. I’m so worried that something is going to happen to my baby and it’s stopping me from enjoying the pregnancy.
My hands and feet tend to itch more when I get hot and there is no rash.
I feel like I am different from most pregnant woman as no other woman I have spoken to that has gone through pregnancy has had itchy hands and feet.
I feel really alone and don’t really want to talk about the pregnancy with anyone. My bump has just started to show and people are commenting on it, which isn’t good because I am worried that I have this liver disease and this pregnancy isn’t going to be a happy one.
Has anyone else had itchy hands and feet and what do you suggest I do?

ANSWER:
Well, I can’t say 100% for your situation, but it definitely is a common symptom in pregnancy. I have had it with all of mine and I am on my 4th pregnancy. Itching can be caused from the increased hormone levels like progesterone. I really wouldn’t worry yourself sick about this and just enjoy your pregnancy. Sorry that you have this, because it can be annoying;o)

QUESTION:
Does anyone have alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency and if so is it affecting ur health?
Im 29 yrs old and i a liver disease none as antitrypsin. lately ive been feeling like ive aged 20 yrs. i fell like crap, im catching all the bugs and flu’s i can get, im going grey and im wrecked, im itching all over and ive put on heaps of weight over the past 2 yrs. i don’t work im a stay at home mum. im wondering what are the signs if of this disease as my doctor has always brushed it under the carpet?

ANSWER:
Well first. your doctor shouldn’t be brushing it off. If you have alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency that will affect your liver and lungs. You need to get this worked up as some of the symptoms you are describing such as tiredness, itching are alarm signs. Also, if you smoke, you shouldn’t since you have a much more increased susceptibility towards developing emphysema.

QUESTION:
Severe skin problems?
So I’m having really bad skin problems of late… I’m eighteen and I’ve had mild acne on my face since I was 14, and very mild acne on my chest and back since around the same time… My acne stayed around a similar level of severity from 14 up until around 16, it got a little worse on my face from 17 – 18 so I began taking topical and oral antibiotics which brought it back down to being mild. Since Christmas however things have gone absolutely crazy. Instead of on my face this time however it’s mostly hit my chest, stomach and back… My chest is absolutely covered in the usual painful white-headed acne spots, tiny itchy red pimples and flat red blotches… I’ve also been getting a strange itching sensation all over my body usually when I get hot or exercise, on top of this I’m noticing a small amount of random brown spots across my body that were never there before (despite the fact I’ve been exposed to VERY little sunlight) and on top of all that the acne on my face is beginning to get worse again…

I’ve began worrying it might be related to liver disease or damage as the whole thing began shortly after I went on a HUGE binge drink for the first time after a life of more or less never drinking and being close to completely straight edge… I had a liver test not long before the binge that came out fine… but obviously that was *before* the binge so it’s not too reassuring…

I’ve booked in with a doc, but this is really worrying me and I’d like some peace of mind before then…
…and that’s just to quell my anxiety, before I even go into how debilitating this has been to my confidence…

So what do you think people of the net?

ANSWER:
Acne requires a multi-faceted approach. If you have acne clean your skin gently, try not to touch your skin when your hands are not clean, and avoid the sun.

The three basics of acne treatment are to (1) unclog pores, (2) kill bacteria, and (3) minimize oil. Use mild exfoliating cleansers to unclog your pores. Use benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria. Get rid of oil on the surface of your skin by using a gentle toner. Generally drug store brands will do each of these things well. You don’t need to spend a fortune.

These are all good basic skin regimens that may help with the acne battle:

Cleanse twice daily with a 5% benzoyl peroxide wash. An alternative for those who are allergic to benzoyl peroxide is 2% salicylic acid.

Apply a gel or cream containing 5% benzoyl peroxide; an alternative is sulfur or resorcinol.

At night, apply a spot cream containing sulfur to the affected areas.

Use a light skin moisturizer and oil-free makeup.

If you try all these approaches and it still does not seem to work, it is time to consult your doctor. You may need a prescription medication approach to deal with your acne.

And read the information at these sites. You may find other ideas that will help you.

http://www.acneguide.ca/acne_med_treatments/index.html

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/acne.cfm

http://www.medicinenet.com/acne/article.htm

http://dermatology.about.com/cs/acnecomedones/a/comedones.htm

When speaking about body and back acne in particular, there is a particular form of acne called “acne mechanica”—a fancy name for acne which is caused by irritation of the skin. Anything that repeatedly rubs against the skin, such as backpacks, rough massages, tight fitting clothing, weight lifting machines which press on the shoulder area, or anything else that rubs the back area and irritates the skin can aggravate acne in that area. Acne mechanica tends to be aggravated by moisture, so if you’re sweaty and combine that with the repeated rubbing that comes with your backpack, clothing, etc., that could make the problem worse. By simply existing as a human being, your back is going to be in contact with chairs, clothing, beds, and other people’s touch so no one will be able to remove all irritation of the skin of the back. Still, there are some simple ways you can help the situation.

Some things you might want to consider:

Avoiding irritation Try wearing breathable cotton clothing more often.
Try carrying your belongings in something other than your backpack while treating your back acne. Once you’re clear, you can try using your backpack again. If you stay clear, great. If not, perhaps a backpack isn’t the best option for you.
Generally try to be aware of anything that irritates the skin of your back and make accomodations if you can.
Try to time any daily treatment of your acne so that you can shower and treat your skin after a sweaty workout.

And check here for information about back acne.

http://beauty.about.com/od/bodybeautiful/f/backacne.htm

QUESTION:
i have questions about jaundice too? please answer had to erase some of the space so i can write all the info?
aweekago ihad really bad stomach pains&inotice my poop waswatery and gasy.i know thats not normal because i dont usually poop like that. the pain lasted at least 5 days in a row.i tried taking midol on those days thinking it willgo away.it was very sharp pain on my stomach above my belly button.i can say it hurt like giving birth hurt, now a week in a half later everyones telling me my eyes look yellow and my skin look yellow. and the last 4 days i been extremly itchy. so i went to a doctor on thursday morning.told him all my systoms and he said i might have jaundice and took a blood test so now im waiting. for results.havent gotten it yet. my questions are1.what do you think i did to catch jaundice?i dont drink nor smoke
2.can i die any minute?
3 what do think i have? do i have liver disease im so scared?
4.what can i do in the mean time about itchy. the doc did write me a precription for itching but i havent got a chance to go get it. 5.i still go to work. is it contagious? thanks.

ANSWER:
1-There’s too much bilirubin circulating in your blood…which can come from obstruction to bile duct from a gallstone, Hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver; a narrowing of the duct that allows bile to flow from liver to the small intestine.
Hepatitis can be caused by catching it from someone who didn’t clean their hands (like waiters).
2.-No you won’t die any minute.
3-Refer to #1;
4-You need to get the prescription filled. In the meantime take an oatmeal bath, use Aveeno Oatmeal lotion or Sarna.
5-At this time you don’t know if it’s contagious, but it would probably have to be blood to blood or unprotected sex.

QUESTION:
Naproxen enteric coated why so many side effects?
My mum got a tablet called ‘Naproxen enteric coated’, she read the leaflet and then she got to the side-effects part.

SIDE EFFECTS: Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, headache, diarrhea, constipation, drowsiness, and dizziness may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these serious side effects occur: stomach pain, swelling of the hands or feet, sudden or unexplained weight gain, ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: vision changes, rapid or pounding heartbeat, easy bruising or bleeding. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: change in amount of urine, severe headache, very stiff neck, mental/mood changes, persistent sore throat or fever. This drug may infrequently cause serious (rarely fatal) bleeding from the stomach or intestines. If you notice any of the following unlikely but very serious side effects, stop taking naproxen and consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately: black stools, persistent stomach/abdominal pain, vomit that looks like coffee grounds. This drug may rarely cause serious (possibly fatal) liver disease. If you notice any of the following highly unlikely but very serious side effects, stop taking naproxen and consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately: yellowing eyes and skin, dark urine, unusual/extreme tiredness. An allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include: rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Should She still take the tablet which is only ment to stop the pain in her leg?

ANSWER:
By law, drug companies must label all meds with every possible symptom that has been noted when people have taken this medication.
The most common side affect of Naproxen is stomach problems.
If you eat something before taking it, you should have no problems.

Those are mainly things to look out for.

Take care.

QUESTION:
Parkinson’s and sking itching?
My mother an 84 years old lady is having Parkinson’s disease. Recently she has started having itching all over her body. I donot want to give her any more medicine as she is having weak liver. Any home remedy is welecome.

ANSWER:
Ok, I’m not a nurse, but I’m surprised that a nurse would give such a one note answer. My mother has Parkinson’s, and has had a certain spot on her back that has itched for years and dermatologist tried all kinds of things, and decided it was a nerve-ending issue. Plus, older people get very dry skin, plus have reactions to other medications…..and the list can go on and on. Yes, see a doctor……….but realize the limitless possibilities….in the meantime, try SARNA Anti-itch lotion, and oatmeal bath products for itching skin. hope this helps….good luck

QUESTION:
I need real help i think somthing is wrong with me? Please help ?
For a while i have been feeling very ill. Not throwing up, but i get nauseas, cold feet (that could not mean anything) i have bad lower back pain. I always itch my eyes. Alot throught the day. I feel dizzy alot, and very lathargic (lazy) and i sleep through out the day, and i doesnt matter how tierd or if i get a full nite sleep. My eyes hurt and so does my neck and limbs. I get these small to medium sized red boils next to my groin they are kinda pain full and i get a arm pit rash that comes and go, and milla near my eyes that have been there for months. When i take a warm shower i get rash on top of feet, chest, arms and thighs. I am very irratable and pretty depressed. I mean i hardly ever feel happy. I dont think that me being depressed is causeing all this.my hands get really clampy and it hurts to move them out of a fist, and they are shaky almost all the time i am sensitive to light and most of these problems occur in the morning. I have been doing some reserch and i think i have (and i could be wrong) graves disease or liver disease). Please help me and my doctore literally got her degree at walmart she doesnt know anything she uses a computer to diagnose peoples illnesses off the internet so please help

ANSWER:
definitely see a different doctor for starters.

QUESTION:
I am 37 weeks & 3 days pregnant with my 3rd rash?
At 21 weeks into my pregnancy I develop a fungus on my neck and chest drs couldn’t explained why or how I got it, It was treated with Selsun Blue shampoo (using it as a body wash) for about a week. At 24 weeks and 4 days I developed a rash called PUPPP, last about 2 week, after trying every anti-itch cream in the pharmacy including Benadryl, Econazole cream and an Acetonide ointment prescribed by my dermatologist and 3 visits to the ER, nothing I used helped it was just getting worse. My last visit to the hospital I met a very kind nurse who claimed had seen this on someone else before and recommend Calamine lotion and was also given an injection of Prednisone 10mg and a prescription to take home, both combine worked like a charm, I got my sleep back little by little and started getting back to my old self and was finally enjoying my pregnancy. After this terrible experience now at 37 weeks i have this rash which i would like to describe as a heat rash but i know it not, its driving me crazy it itches all the time, i am using everything i mentioned before (but the Prednisone tablets). it started really light, at first i thought it was a bug bite something minor to what it has develop to, i saw my gyno about two days ago and ran a series of test including blood work, said i will induce your labor by your 38th week, i freaked out because i was looking forward to a natural birth with no meds, I haven’t had any complications with my pregnancy but the rashes I mentioned before, explained this to her and she said we will wait for the blood work results to make a decision but most likely be induced by this weekend, till then continue the Benadryl and any lotion that helps. I don’t sleep, lost my appetite and feel extremely overwhelmed ever since this new rash, i am worry this is affecting my baby, did i mentioned this is my first baby and i am 28 yrs old. I have researched about my symptoms and the results I’m getting worry me, some mentioned it could be a liver disease. Is anyone else going through or has gone through this that can help me get more information, i really don’t want to be induced and I know drs use any excuse to induce labor, one out of five labors are induce in the U.S. HELP =,(

ANSWER:

QUESTION:
hepatitis C, progression of disease?
My husband was diagnosed with dormant hepatitis C about 5 years ago. He also has congestive heart failure in an advanced stage and now his liver is enlarged and he has ascites. He has not yet been able to get an answer as to what has caused the liver enlargement, which can also be caused by the heart disease. What I would like to know is how common or likely it is that dormant hepatitis C breaks out into active disease? And if it does, what is the prognosis? As it is now, he has many of the classic symptoms of liver failure such as itching, ascites, whitening nails, nausea, diarrhea and fatigue, but many of those symptoms can be caused by the heart disease as well. He seems to live in denial and doesn’t want to know anything about his own disease and keeps postponing a visit to the hepatologist, and I am very worried. Can anyone tell me what I should expect in terms of life expectancy if in fact these symptoms are caused by active hepatitis C?

ANSWER:
Hepatitis in any form is a liver disease which is what he has. The congestive heart failure is just a complicating factor. You need to do some research on Hepatitis C and you can go to WebMd.com and MayoClinic.com and type in that term and read up on everything you can get your hands on because this is what you are dealing with and you need to know about any possible treatments that might be recommended so that you can help your husband make decisions about this. With ascites, he is already in the advanced stage of liver disease but there is no way of knowing if his Hep C is now active without being tested for this. And, no one can tell you how long anyone can live with his condition because every person is different but he sounds as if he is in an advanced stage and doesn’t have many months/years left. You need to get his will, your family finances in order and you designated as a Health Care Power of Attorney to carry out his wishes for health care when he is no longer able to make his own decisions. And, you might consider enlisting the help of hospice care. You need to be working with your doctor closely on his condition.

QUESTION:
Misdiagnosis of Crohn’s Disease?
About a week ago i was diagnosed with Crohns/ulcerative colitis (apparently a mixture, or something in between), however i believe this to be a misdiagnosis for many reasons.

First of all, my symptoms are more similar to IBS and have little in common with standard Crohn’s disease, blood in stools on only 2 occasions (in a time period of 6 months) it always got worse during stressful times (like IBS) and diet had no effect on my symptoms.
However the main reason for my suspicion is i also have something going on with my liver; raised ALT and i think something else was raised too. My consultant seems to think these 2 things are unrelated however raised ALT alone can cause my other symptoms. i also have had severe itching (a common symptom of liver problems). Could a liver infection or upset be causing this and my other symptoms?

The drugs i was given to calm my intestines came into effect after 20 hours, when usually they could take up to a month to have an effect on crohn’s patients, which makes it seem unlikely it could be as severe as crohns disease?

My main reasoning for fighting against this diagnosis is that i want to join the armed forces, and i need to rid myself of any chronic symptoms and diseases.
So basically I’m hoping somebody can give me some information and evidence to help me prove that Ive been misdiagnosed, my hope is that this is some temporary thing caused by some infected food or something or perhaps just IBS, which i believe i can still serve with.
Any help appreciated

ANSWER:
Hi hopefully with further treatment you will prove that you can manage your condition and be allowed to serve. They need to trust you above all else so try to don’t hide anything.

QUESTION:
AutoImmune Dieases- Fatty Liver?
My Uncle was diagnoised wit a Fatty Liver a year ago. A week a go he had uncontrollable itching when he went to the doctor he said he was going to die of schirosis of the liver. He doesnt drink, he exorcises unlike other fatty liver patients. Then when he went to his next doctor appointment they said they thaught it was an Auto Immune Disease and that they would run tests. When he had the uncontrollable itching he also had blood in his stoll. Does anyone have any idea od what it could be.

ANSWER:
Sounds like your uncle’s doctors are not sure of what is causing his cirrhosis. This happens more times than you would think. I had cirrhosis for no apparent reason and it took the doctors quite awhile to figure out that I had an autoimmune disease called primary biliary cirrhosis which is when my autoimmune system attacks the bile ducts in my liver which eventually led to cirrhosis. I had to get a transplant. During my evaluation for transplant, I was told that up to 15% of people having cirrhosis are “cryptogenic” which means they just do not know why the person has permanent liver damage and cirrhosis.

The bleeding and itching are both symptoms of advanced liver disease. When the biliruben levels get high, then often times the terrible itching kicks in. My mother had this very problem last week with the itching from a high biliruben level and they gave her Benedryl which worked very well to control it. She had a blocked bile duct from a gallstone which makes the biliruben level skyrocket too. Your uncle should be going to a specialist such as a gastroenterologist or hepatologist who knows all about the problems that come with cirrhosis and how to treat them. His doctor can prescribe something for the itching which I know can drive a person crazy. You need not wait until his next appt. to tell them he needs help now with the itching.

Bleeding problems are also a symptom of cirrhosis which should be checked into immediately since the person can bleed internally. Unwanted veins called varices form with cirrhosis. They are not like the veins we are born with. They are weak, can leak and even burst causing internal bleeding. Not only that but cirrhosis also can cause the blood not to clot as well as it should which only doubles the problem when there is any bleeding going on. The can do a procedure called “banding” to get rid of these unwanted veins. I used to get mine checked every 3-6 months by getting an endoscopy done. When they find one of these veins, they will tie what looks like a small rubber band around the vein which cuts off its blood supply. It then dies which takes away the risk of that vein ever causing a bleeding problem again. I think I had 12 of them banded on me.

Right now your uncle has to deal with having cirrhosis and not worry so much about what is causing it. No matter what is causing it, cirrhosis pretty much acts the same with everyone. They most likely have ruled out all the obvious reasons such as drinking, viral hepatitis, iron overload, etc. The fatty liver may or may have not played a part in it.

He needs to find out how much permanent damage has been done to his liver and what his prognosis is for the future. What can he do to get well again? There is only one cure of cirrhosis and that is a liver transplant, but not everyone with cirrhosis will need a transplant. This is something only his doctor can determine as to whether or not he will need a transplant now or in the future and how to go about getting one if he will need it done. I am living proof that cirrhosis is not an automatic death sentence for many people. If your uncle does need one, then he needs to go to a transplant center to get evaluated and find out if he could be a good candidate to receive a transplant.

QUESTION:
Could I have kidney disease?
Ok I have a question. i went to the doctor a little under three months ago about menstrual irregularities and they had me pee in a cup. they tested it for pregnancy and it was negative which I knew it would be. but they said there were leukocytes in it and they were gonna test for a uti. well i never heard anything else about that but a nurse came in and gave him a slip of paper so im guessing it was all ok. long story short they took blood to measure my hormone levels (i ended up diagnosed with pcos) and he said he was gonna take some to test my liver and kidney function too. when all that came back he said it was normal. im 18 years old. i have none of the diseases or risk factors that cause kidney disease other than my blood pressure is higher than it should be. kidney disease doesnt run in my family or anything and i havent had any serious illnesses or anything like that. well sometimes when i pee there is little stuff floating in it like you have to get really really close to see it and i might just be noticing it now because lately im paranoid about everything that goes on with my body so it could’ve been there all along and i just didnt notice it before but is this indicative of kidney disease? also, im not really going anymore than i usually do. i dont have a fever. i dont really have back pain either. my body isnt swelling. i dont have any itching on my body. im not getting chills anymore than usual. im just wondering what the chances were of me having kidney disease with me being so young and really having no risk factors and stuff.

ANSWER:
I don’t think it is kidney disease.Are you under abnomal stress?It could be hypertension…

QUESTION:
Herpes and pregnant!!!?
I am currently 32 wks pregnant and just found out i am positive for genital herpes.I went in 2 wks ago for a prenatal checkup and told my ob-gyn that i was itching with some discharge.which he said i had bv. it is very common for pregnant woman to get this.i had it with my last 2 pregnancies. he ordered bloodwork for herpes which i thought was odd.i go in today for another checkup and he told me i was positive!! I have NEVER in my life had an outbreak,cold sores,pain in the vagina, any symtoms what so ever!! i heard the virus can be dormant,but it can appear with a weak immune system,being pregnant will cause that. but i have NOTHING!! the Dr. presribed me Acyclovir,take 5x a day for 5 days,then 2 daily at 36 wks. Ive done some research,it is safe to take during pregnancy,but it says to take when noticing an outbreak-I HAVE NO OUTBREAK!! Do i still take this? Again,it was not a swab test,but it was a bloodtest. i have been with my husband for 12yrs,He has never had any outbreaks or pain either. this is very confusing for us both. his immune system is also very low,he has an autoimmune disease that caused him to need a liver transplant(still waiting),if the virus in dormant in him, i thought for sure he would of brokeout!! iM very very scared!! And yes we have both are very faithful so please no smart remarks. What do I do?
ive never had any itching other than the bv I’ve had during pregnancy
kayjayday…i would like to email u but it says u dont except emails

ANSWER:
First, congratulations on your pregnancy!! This is a wonderful time in a woman’s life and you should be resting and joyous right now. OK. Now, a positive HSV (herpes simplex virus) test means that you were exposed to HSV and have developed antibodies. That is very good news because the transmission to your child is LOW when you have antibodies.

Did he say if it was HSV1 or 2. HSV1 is the strain of virus you get orally (e.g. cold sores) can be transmitted through oral sex and HSV2 is a more serious, painful and commonly transmitted through vaginal/anal sex. If you have never had classic outbreak you probably have HSV1. Signs of HSV are weeping bumps on genitals, fever, chill and swollen glands around your groin. But, I must tell you that vaginal discharge with an itch is a sign of a mild outbreak!! You don’t have to get bumps to have herpes!! Once the virus enters your body it settles in your spinal cord and is “activated” when your immune system is weak. Due to stress, illness or whatever. There is no cure but suppressive therapy is an excellent alternative and will allow you to have a normal pregnancy and birth.

BUT you need to take your medication!! You can see another doctor if you want but take your medication until then. You will need the suppressive therapy so you can have a vaginal birth. The medication will suppress the virus and help reduce “viral shedding” before birth. Viral shedding is when the virus is present and “shedding” in the affected area. If it is not suppressed you can pass the virus to the child!! Neo-natal HSV is DEADLY!! Since your symptoms are so mild, you may not know when you are having an outbreak early enough to take the medication in time to suppress the virus.

Given you are so close to your due date, you need to diligently take your medication. Take the medication twice daily (as prescribed), eat fruits, vegetables, protein and limit your intake of processed food. There are natural alternatives to the Acyclovir but I would not take them at this stage in your pregnancy. You can research them on your own AFTER the birth. Now, you have to focus on staying healthy and calm

Your body is about to go through a tremendous change over the next YEAR. You will be unable to tell when you are having an outbreak, as opposed to the usual changes a women goes through during pregnancy and after birth. After a year or so and your period returns to normal then you can start accurately monitoring yourself for signs of a coming outbreak and use alternative treatments.

Most women who have HSV1 with mild symptoms usually don’t get very many outbreaks after the initial one. Most of my clients say sex (vaginal friction) brings on the outbreaks more than anything!! Soon you will be able to tell what brings on your outbreaks (e.g. food, detergent, liquor etc..) and avoid those things.

If you and your husband choose to have sex, if would be wise to wear a condom/use dental dam. Because of he ejaculates into your vagina, the virus may be present when you go into labor.

Don’t freak out about the birth!! When your water breaks it will literally “sanitize” your birth canal in preparation for your little one. However, you should think about vaginal birth or c-section. If your body is producing antibodies (hence positive HSV test) your chances of transmission during birth is low but there is a risk even with the medication. Email me if you want to know more.

You take care and take it easy!! P.S. If you breastfeed it will give you antibodies to your baby!!

QUESTION:
Has anyone used a parasite’s genome map to design a genetic control or poison to eradicate the parasite.?
African trypanosomiasis. Commonly called sleeping sickness, this disease is caused by a parasitic microbe transmitted by tsetse flies. If untreated, the parasite migrates to the central nervous system, causing seizures, mental disorders and, ultimately, death. As many as 70,000 people are infected in Central and East Africa.

American trypanosomiasis. Commonly called Chagas disease, this disease is caused by a parasitic microbe transmitted by blood-sucking bugs. It can cause organ damage. The parasite infects about 13 million people, mostly in Latin America.

Hookworm. Human hookworm infection is caused by intestinal worm parasites transmitted to humans from contaminated soil. It causes internal blood loss and is the world’s leading cause of anemia and protein malnutrition, particularly in pregnant women and children. More than half a billion people in poverty-stricken areas of Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia and China are infected.

Leishmaniasis. This disease is caused by a parasitic microbe transmitted by sand flies. It can cause skin lesions and swelling of the spleen and liver. More than 12 million people are infected in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.

Lymphatic filariasis. Commonly called elephantiasis, this parasitic worm disease is spread by mosquitoes. It can lead to disabling swelling of the legs and other body parts. About 120 million people are infected throughout Asia, Africa, the Western Pacific, South America and parts of the Caribbean.

Malaria. This disease is caused by a parasitic microbe spread by mosquitoes. Each year, malaria infects at least 300 million people living in tropical regions. It can cause brain damage or death if red blood cells infected with malaria parasites build up in the brain’s blood vessels. The annual death toll is about 1 million people, many of whom are children under age 5 and pregnant women.

Onchocerciasis. Commonly called river blindness, this parasitic worm disease is spread by black flies. It can cause extreme itching, sores on the skin and blindness. The parasite infects about 18 million people, mostly in Africa, but also in Latin America.

Schistosomiasis. Also known as bilharzia or snail fever, this parasitic worm disease is transmitted by snails that live in fresh water. It can impair growth, cause severe anemia and lead to kidney and liver malfunctions. More than 200 million people are infected, mostly in Africa and Asia.
A respectable number of parasite genomes have been mapped.

Has anyone yet succeeded in designing a control to from knowledge of the parasite genome?

ANSWER:
As far as Schistosomiasis, it was just completed over the summer. Hopefully drugs to follow. see more here: http://bactiman63.blogspot.com/2009/07/genetic-code-to-schistosomes-complete.html

QUESTION:
help………………………………………..?
I’m having mosquito like- rashes on my hands near my palms, upper arms, upper back and neck. i have nothing on my legs. and those rashes are very itchy and i can’t sleep with it.it itches all the time..
i want to know why i don’t have it on my legs ?
is it some kind of disease that is related to liver or anything else?
sorry..***mosquito bite like- rashes***
i don’t have any pets and i just cleaned my bed and my room yesterday.its still the same..
i didn’t use anything new .I’m just using the same things ..no changes at all..

ANSWER:
there are a couple of things it really could be. One do you have any pets that has fleas? Because fleas will bite people sleeping for one. Or, you might be having an allergic reaction to something you are using. I myself have lots of skin problems and I had to change alot in my life. You might want to try washing all your clothes and bedding in a clear unsented soap and Do Not use fabric softner on your clothes. You may however use the new Bonce unsentended fabric softner sheets that you toss in the dryer. I hope some of this will help you out and try to use a very gental soap when taking a shower. Aveeno sould do the trick.

QUESTION:
Should I start trying to naturally induce labor this week? 35 weeks…?
I am only 35 weeks pregnant but have cholestasis (liver failure in pregnancy) which for me causes EXTREME itching, but it potentially fatal to my baby girl (raises chances of stillborn 15-20%).

After reading online, I see that Cholestasis levels can triple in less then 24 hours. Most every web site says it is imperative to be induced at 36-37 weeks. This condition is very rare, less then 1 in 1000 women get it during pregnancy.

When I ask my doc if she will induce me, she says we’ll see, but probably not. I’m really worried about going to full term only to have my princess die in utero. A perfectly healthy baby dies because the my doc wouldnt induce. That would be so tragic.

So I was thinking I would stop taking my meds (that are to prevent preterm labor) and start having sex at the end of this week. My 1st baby was born at 32 weeks. I probably had the same disease but never knew it. And Ive been told not to have sex for the past 2 months as my cervix is very thin and soft.

Although there is definitly a selfish componant here, as I cant sleep I am so itchy, can’t almost deal with daily activities. I’m a walking zombie, burning eyes, nausious from lack of sleep, etc. My skin is bleeding from my itching it. This is all suppose to clear up almost immediatly after giving birth, within 2-3 days. So although this is primarily to ensure my daughter is born healthy, it’s also so I can sleep more then 30 minutes.

ANSWER:
WOW….first of all I am so sorry you have to go through with this.

This is kinda something that is completely up to you. Remember to go with YOUR instincts. Kinda sounds like your right though about inducing. I would go ahead and do it if I were you.

Remember also that you can go get a 2nd opinion. Sometimes drs dont put as much thought into one specific case as they should.

Good luck to you and I will add you as a contact!

QUESTION:
Strange mixture of symptoms in 3 y/o 2 wks after bee sting – could they be related?
I’ve been websearching but can’t find the information I need. My little 3 year old granddaughter was stung/bitten by a wood bee 20 days ago on her hand. Her hand immediately was painful, got very swollen, and was red. Treated with tylenol, diphenhydramine, cold pak. No systemic reaction. The swelling remained for a couple of days then gradually improved. She had no more symptoms until day 16 when the site of the sting began itching, and there were three hard white areas under the skin, a white ring, and red ring around that, this after she was scratching. Treated with anti-itch cream and bandaid, improved. The next day we noticed her stool is light tan colored with green spots. No unusual foods. On day 18, without any known injury, she started limping and complaining of knee pain. Today her urine has a foul odor and but NO complaint that it hurts to urinate, and the stool is still light tan and green. She did have an x-ray today and it showed soft tissue swelling in the knee joint. The pediatrician said not to worry about the abnormal color of the stool or the urine, but I know this isn’t normal, and am concerned about the possibility of a liver problem. She has had Hep B and Hep A vaccinations. I am wondering if there is a possibility that all of these things are connected to the bee sting, since it seems like more than a coincidence that all of these unusual things would be occurring to a 3 year old all at once. Does anyone know of diseases that could present this way and that are related to bee stings/bites? I know that Lyme disease has a variety of s/s, but bees don’t usually carry Lyme.

ANSWER:
I’m not aware of any reports of bees themselves carrying Lyme. But listen to this scenario: Sometimes, people apparently harbor the Lyme bacteria in their body without showing symptoms–until there is some kind of trauma. Then, suddenly, Lyme symptoms start blossoming, seemingly out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s a broken bone or other injury; sometimes it’s emotional trauma, like divorce or a death in the family.

I doubt that the bee itself gave your granddaughter Lyme. But the bee sting may have traumatized the body enough that it overwhelmed the immune system, allowing the Lyme to flourish.

It’s worth looking into.

Good sources of info about Lyme disease:

http://www.lymedisease.org

http://www.ilads.org

http://www.canlyme.com

http://www.lymenet.org

http://www.lymeinfo.net

http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org

http://www.lymedoctor.com

QUESTION:
Terrified of pancreatic cancer?
I don’t know whether I’m just being a hypochondriac or not, but I’ve been having these weird symptoms lately. For the past few weeks, I’ve been having weird dull pains around my right upper abdomen, just below my chest and sometimes below my ribcage. I sometimes get a crampy feeling on my left side as well, and this has been going on for a few months, though it is far less persistent. For the past two days I’ve been getting this colicky weird pain on my lower right quadrant, and sometimes I can feel it in my lower left. Also, I’ve been itching a lot recently. I don’t know if this is psychosomatic or not, can anybody enlighten me as to if that’s possible or not? I lost weight a few weeks after I stopped lifting in June and July, going from 146 pounds to about 138, but I think it’s stagnated since then (who knows, maybe I’ve even gained some this month). My appetite’s been odd, it’s there, but it’s different than it used to be. I get upper cramp-like localized back pains from time to time, sometimes parts of my arms and legs feel cramped for no reason as well. And just a few hours ago, after eating a fatty meal, I had greasy diarrhea (I do have IBS, but I don’t remember it ever giving my fatty stools (this is the first time I’ve seen this). Also, I feel more fatigued than usual. I can still exercise just as well as I used to, but if I’m not being active I feel like falling asleep. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m not scared of any other type of cancer except pancreatic. I heard it can effect people of all ages, even if it is rare. Does this sound anything like it?

I don’t have nausea or vomiting. My pain isn’t severe, it’s typically mild. I’m not yellow, my stools aren’t pale, my urine isn’t dark (but I read that itching is an early sign of jaundice). I can’t tell if I have an enlarged spleen or liver, nothing’s constantly tender, and my Dr. didn’t feel anything out of the ordinary when I got my physical a week ago. Sometimes, though, my upper right or lower right abdomen feels mildly uncomfortable, though this does not last. The pain in my upper quadrant is worse on some days than others (it was worse yesterday than today, and the day before wasn’t too bad). Also, the pain seems to react to stress.

I have no family history of any type of cancer as far as I’m aware, no diabetes, no pancreatitis. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink often (and when I do it doesn’t cause me problems). I’m a white 20 year old male, around 140 lbs. I do have a predisposition to Crohn’s Disease, and I have acid reflux. Does this sound like Crohn’s at all? Does it even sound like a gallbladder issue? Can someone point me in the right direction? I can’t see anyone until Monday, I’d rather not go to the ER, I wanna go out and have fun tonight and if this is constantly on my mind I doubt that’ll happen. I’d greatly appreciate any input. Thanks.

ANSWER:
Pancreatic cancer in a 20 year old would be one for the record books. Two thirds of those diagnosed with it are over 70, and it’s very rare in people under 40.